1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of additives to dairy containing products, especially solid or gelatinous dairy products, and more especially-containing products, such as ice cream, cheeses, cheese spreads, yogurts, frozen yogurt, dairy-based gelatin and other more solid dairy-based goods for human or other animal consumption, particularly additives that can reduce the fat content of such flour products while maintaining perceived taste and sensory quality in the diary-based product.
2. Background of the Art
Published articles from FDA, American Heart Association, and Harvard all tie a link between trans fats and saturated fats with increased LDL (bad cholesterol) and thus, heart disease. Beginning in January 2006, FDA will require food companies to list the amount of trans fatty acids on their labels. To lower the trans fat levels in foods, shortening suppliers have introduced low trans fat shortenings. However, within the newer compositions that have been provided for low trans shortenings there is an increase in the amount of saturated fats. In a typical shortening the saturated fat goes from 26% in standard shortening to 40% in low trans shortenings. Therefore, while shortening suppliers are trying to offer a healthier product a product with lower the trans fat, there is a trade-off with the increased saturated fats that raises concerns with regard to the saturated fat ingredient. For companies concerned about keeping trans fats off their labels, a company that switches to a low trans/higher saturated fat shortening for certain high fat products, e.g. cakes, donuts, etc, will still need to label an amount of trans fatty acids and also indicate a higher level of saturated fats.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,251,458; 5,487,419; 4,923,981; 4,831,127; 4,629,575, Weibel) relates to material additives. U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,981 relates more to issues of fat replacement describes using expanded parenchymal cell cellulose (PCC) for fat reduction. However, this Weibel patent specifically talks about making PCC through a process that uses alkaline or acid conditions. Additionally, the patent does not give a method for drying the product nor enable using a dried and expanded PCC, whereas the product used in the present technology is in a dried form.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,983 (Dinand) uses alkaline and/or acid conditions to make their microfibrillated cellulose. Dinand discloses the use of alkaline and/or acid conditions to make microfibrillated cellulose, and also does not disclose the combination of water, fiber and shortening directly together to make a reduced fat shortening, oil, margarine, or butter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,662 (Inglett) describes replacing fat, but specifically states that the fat replacement product is the product made according to his invention is a product made through the combination of mechanical and chemical processes. Additionally, the dry product he makes needs to be sheared in a shearing device, i.e., a high speed blender, before the product can be used for fat replacement. This work does not disclose the direct combination of water, fiber, and shortening together to make a reduced fat shortening, oil, margarine, or butter.
In considering the Weibel patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,251,458; 5,487,419; 4,923,981; 4,831,127; and 4,629,575), only U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,981 appears to have relevant disclosure with respect to fat replacement using expanded parenchymal cell cellulose (PCC) for fat reduction. The resulting product is not a reduced fat shortening, spread, roll-in, butter, or oil, but is a compounded product. Additionally, this patent specifically talks about making PCC through a process that uses alkaline or acid conditions. Weibel also does not give a method for drying fiber, which is a very significant and important step in the process of providing a highly refined cellulose fiber, and especially a highly refined cellulose fiber from citrus pulp and material with high parenchymal content. Weibel does not disclose using a dried and expanded PCC
Several other prior art sources (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,658,609, 5,190,776, 5,360,627, 5,439,697, 6,048,564) state the concept of a reduced fat shortening, margarine, spread, roll-in, butter, or oil but they are made with either combinations of modified starches, gums, emulsifiers, or combinations of other ingredients as opposed to the object of this invention is to do the fat reduction using an expanded cell wall cellulose and water.